Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Savage Collectors Will This Work?

A lot of people don't like making one cartridge out of another because of the headstamp. I've got a pretty much unlimited supply of once fired 30-30 I use for my 22 HP.

For years now, tool makers laser etch tools. Craftsman sockets are etched, and I ran my fingers over it, I don't think I could feel it?
Would etching the side of a case ruin the Structural Integrity of the case?

If I was going to do that it would be just above the rim and around the base.

That's always bugged me a bit but as long as the whole kit stays in your possession there's probably little chance of ever mistaking a cartridge formed for a 22 bullet with that for a 30, regardless of headstamp. As for future owners I'd be sure the cases either go to someone in the know or get tossed to prevent that "someone special" from mixing components and firearms and doing something lethal to limb and life. Another solution might be making 22 HP strictly out of nickel plated cases and leaving the brass to thirty-thirty. But you do ask a good question and one that would have me leaning towards laser etching maybe not being a good idea. Plus I'd have to wonder how well the etching would hold up to repeated shooting and sizing?

I really don't understand the way some people quake in their boots over improperly headstamped cartridge cases. If a fella can't tell the difference between a .22 and a .30 cartridge he probably shouldn't be messing with guns. Besides, in this day and age of brass shortages left-and-right it often comes down to making your own, especially if you shoot an oddball cartridge. I'll guaran-damn-tee you that you'll never see American made brass again that says ".22 High Power" on it.

I guess I'm laying a trap for a nincompoop these days since I'm using 8x57 brass to make 7x57's for my recently acquired M1902 Remington Rolling Block. Why? Twofold: I happened to have a stash of 8x57 and no 7x57, but more importantly the wonky long chamber (typical of the 7mm RB's) is easy to deal with by starting with 8x57 and necking down incrementally in the 7mm die until the breech block just barely closes thus creating a tiny secondary shoulder which sets headspace for the initial firing. Do I care that the resultant brass bears 8x57 headstamps? Not a whit because I can now shoot it without losing 3/4 of the cases on the first firing.

It works nicely, five shots 50 yards:

I see you don't suffer from chronic twitchitis... I have the uncanny ability to turn just about every good group into a very mediocre one 😜

Two from yesterday.

250 Savage


303 Savage


As to headstamps, I don't trust anyone, and that occasionally includes myself 🤷‍♂️

"quaking in their boots" is pretty unfair. Some of us just don't like having it around.

And what's this about 22 High Power will never be found again? Easy enough to find 5.6x52R, which is the same thing for all intents and purposes. It's like saying "You'll never find 250-3000 brass again!". You won't.. it'll be stamped 250 SAV or similar.

Norma 5.6x52R brass available here. Not cheap, but it's there.
https://www.buffaloarms.com/norma-5-6x52r-cases-nor22savage.html


Darned good shooting, by the way. You have some fun guns, and the skill to shoot 'em.

Copy that!

The European cartridge is smaller just above the rim, 1/4" or so, but still shoots in Savage ever guns, if you don't mind cases coming apart in short order. A person could alleviate this by creating a secondary shoulder as Gary describes and make cases tight in your chamber. If you own a European gun there's a good chance Savage 22 HiPower ammo won't fully chamber in it. BTDT, got the t-shirt.

Overall, the 22 Hipower is the worst cartridge I have ever dealt with. I've been reloading, including wildcats that require many steps and fireforming, for 40 years. I really don't like the 22 HiPower. Once you have a particular gun dialed in with a particular ammo, it can go ok. It's the messy process of building the combination that stinks.

Loading for a 22 HiPower is like taking a ream of loose pages, throwing them in the air, and assembling a dictionary when they hit the floor. Sure, it can be done, but why not just get a dictionary to begin with?

I'm all for headstamp correctness, especially when I have too many irons in the fire and the fire usually dies out before I get back around. I have re-etched the headstamp with a engraving pen whenever I've resized and loaded for other-than-factory headstamp brass,

i.e. "260 Rem" is easily defaced to "270 Red" (270 Redding). 22-250 is easy to change to 22- 250, "25-35" defaced to "22-35" for (219Z)

Those probably wouldn't be legible or understood by anyone else, but the fact that the headstamp is altered at all would likely throw up a big red flag for most shooters! ..it's just being considerate to the next guy, who my wife will call after the funeral..,

I totally agree Roy!! It's our devotion to Savages that inspires us to persevere!!..., or you would have made wind chimes out of those 22HP barrels and replaced them with 219Z barrels..


and as for those European cartridge headstamps?.., wait until you are sorting through a pile of 5.6x52R that got mixed in with the 6.5x52R


anybody, (..but me and JoeMartin..), buy one of those PlaySkool cutoff saws for chopping shorter brass!?! ..bunch of loonies I tell ya!!